Sydney Shopping Center Massacre Leaves Six Dead and Many Injured
A bustling mall in Sydney, Australia, turned into a scene of horror as a knife-wielding assailant attacked multiple people, resulting in the deaths of six individuals and leaving several others wounded.
Eyewitnesses present at the mall during the attack have shared their accounts with the media. One visibly shaken woman described the situation as “madness,” recounting seeing a wounded woman on the floor.
The incident occurred at Bondi’s Westfield Shopping Center, where a large crowd was present at around three o’clock in the afternoon.
One bystander, present at a nearby café with his two young children, witnessed the assailant indiscriminately attacking people with a knife. Referring to Australia’s ABC News anonymously, he likened the incident to a massacre.
Early indications say attack was not terror related, police say
Assistant Commissioner Anthony Cook revealed that the suspect entered the shopping mall around three o’clock, local time. After leaving for a brief period, he returned around three twenty and launched another attack on people.
While the motive behind the attacker’s rampage remains unclear, the police have not ruled out the possibility of extremist intentions.
The attack came to an end when a female police officer on duty nearby confronted the assailant. According to the police, the attacker brandished a knife at the female officer, who then fatally shot him.
Police disclosed that the assailant had stabbed at least nine people with a knife
Police reported receiving information about multiple people being attacked with a knife in the busy shopping center.
It is reported that among those attacked by the assailant in the shopping mall was a nine-month-old baby.
31-year-old John heard the commotion while shopping. Upon turning around, he witnessed a woman and her children being attacked.
John said, “She was being stabbed. Everyone around was stunned, not knowing what to do.”
He mentioned that the injured woman managed to escape into a nearby store, where the staff promptly locked the door.
He said that some other shoppers prevented the flow of blood with clothes or other items available there.
He said that the child suffered minor injuries, but the woman was badly wounded, bleeding profusely, and appeared to be in shock.
Statement from the Australian Prime Minister
Police have stated that many people, including a small child, have been injured.
An eyewitness named Jason Dawson described seeing the assailant “screaming and running,” with the police officer who eventually shot him trailing behind.
He said, “He had a big knife, waving it at us. I could only hear him say ‘put it down’ and then the female officer shot him.”
“If she hadn’t shot the attacker, the situation would have continued.”
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese hailed the police officer who shot the assailant as a ‘hero.’ He said, “There is no doubt that her actions have saved lives.”
“What happened tonight in Bondi Junction goes beyond words.”